At the Elite 11 Quarterback Challenge Finals this week at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif., you couldn't escape from any conversation about Nick Patti without hearing the words "If he were just 6-foot-3 ......"

Patti realizes he's 5-foot-11. He doesn't go around hanging upside down from trees, or having his friends tie his legs up for a leg-stretching, tug-o-war. None of that.

He accepts it. There is no changing it. But the comments won't stop, and frankly, Nick Patti is tired of it.

"Big time," Nick said, Saturday evening, after having caught up on his sleep from the West Coast trip. "There’s not like an article written or interview or whatever that it’s not in there … it gets kind of old.

"But, people are going to say it so I probably should get used to it. Boise state doesn’t care about it so there's no reason why I should."

Nick was sleeping in Saturday morning after returning late Friday night from the Elite 11 competition, but when the Sentinel tried to reach the Patti family, dad was up and answering the phone.

"I know he's tired of it, and of course, you'll have to ask him," Ed Patti said of all the height references, "but the size thing came up time and time again out there. I know he's tired of it. But it just puts a little chip on his shoulder and makes him want to get out there and compete more."

Boise State fans are tired of it.

On the BroncoCountry.com by Scout message board, ThatBroncoGuy writes, "Who cares? He's a baller, no matter his height."

Just an example that the BlueTurf fans will get right behind Patti, just the way Dr. Phillips fans have done the past two seasons, with one more to go for the senior.

"They are tired of hearing about it," Patti said of the Boise fans. "They can't wait until he gets out there and proves he's got what it takes."

Patti has answered all the critics at the prep level. In two seasons he is 25-2 as a starter, with two straight undefeated regular seasons. He has thrown for 3,382 yards and 42 touchdowns, with just 7 interceptions. His 62-percent accuracy is impressive, and he's proven it to be no fluke at each camp and combine.

By dad's calculations, Nick has only lost one regular-season game in seven years, dating back through Pop Warner.

Patti won the Golden Arm Award at last year's Las Vegas Elite 11 by hitting all eight hoop targets in the finals.

Patti did not make the final 11 at this week's Elite 11 competition, but of the 24 quarterbacks invited to the yearly event, which Florida's Jeff Driskel competed in a year ago, there were no slouches, according to Nick's father.

He did compete, however, and at the end of each grueling session, which even sometimes resembled a "boot-camp atmosphere," said Ed Patti, Nick was in the Top 11, as they posted a list each night.

"What a great event it was," Patti said. "It was interesting because there were 24 quarterbacks out there and all 24 were great quarterbacks. There wasn't one slappy in the bunch ... all very, very talented kids.

"Nick probably performed as well as he ever has. He just had a great week, but it was tough. Just a tremendous amount of competition. He competed with the best out there this week, and there was nothing he wasn't sharp on ... and he didn't have an interception all week."

Patti was joined at Pepperdine by his predecessor at Boise, Kellen Moore, who was a "counselor" to the high school competitors. And most of those in attendance saw right away that Moore and Patti have something, or lack thereof, in common. Moore is listed as just 6-foot tall.

"It was pretty sweet to get to spend a lot of time with (Moore) when he was there," Patti said. "He actually had to leave Thursday night because he got married today. But it was really great to be able to hang out with him a little."

And all that size talk did nothing to dampen the spirit of the week-long event for the young Patti.

"It was an awesome time .. . just a constant great time," Patti said. "One of the greatest weeks of my entire life ... all 24 of us hanging out together and getting to know each other.

"I met a lot of great guys, great people, who I will have relationships with for a long time."

There were college counselors, as well as NFL players taking part in the event.

"One of the neat things was that they had some of the NFL guys come and throw on one of the days," Ed Patti said. "Like Carson Palmer, he was there, and all the kids were watching and and it was all sort of like an exhibition ...there were like 6 of the quarterbacks all putting on a show. Then all the sudden Palmer said, 'Patti you're up ... and three or four of the kids were called up to throw with the pros ... the kids did great."

Several recruiting analysts covering the Elite 11 event thought Patti deserved to be in the final Elite 11 list. Bryan Fisher of CBSSports.com wrote: